There is one truth I was taught young, you’ve heard it “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”.    The main truth here is there is never anything that is free, there is a cost for everything even if you don’t directly pay for it, someone has.  But today we live in a generation of people, who believe they are entitled to… you probably have a list already and  the list is huge.

I saw a report on the news channel where an interviewer asked what the government could “provide” for people… the list was ridiculous: “Free Healthcare”, “Free Yoga Mats”, “Free Bicycles”, “Free Food”, “Free childcare”.   The keyword was “Free”, as if the government is a god.    To many the worship of government has been fruitful, to many there is “Free” food, healthcare, housing, even cell phones.

But the expectation of something without the labor to provide it is unrealistic.   At some point, there won’t be any more “Free” things because there won’t be the money to provide it.   It’s simple economics,  the incentive to work is the rewards of one’s labor.   When a person works, they trade work for money, and money for things.   If the things are free, why work?   If the things are free for some who don’t work,  why should other people work and not get “Free” rewards, but be punished so they can give the rewards of hard labor to another.

We’ve trained our kids to expect unrealistic things, and now we have to pay the price.   Yes, today it was announced our GDP has dropped, and it’s to be expected.   Why, because we’ve removed a realistic vision of our country with one that is very unrealistic.

Another thing I was taught, was that the Bible had enormous wisdom.   Solomon teaches on this in Proverbs 6:6-11 and says: “⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.  ⁷ Without having any chief,  officer, or ruler, ⁸ she prepares her bread in summer  and gathers her food in harvest. ⁹ How long will you lie there, O sluggard?   When will you arise from your sleep? ¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,  ¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,  and want like an armed man.”

The answer is we need to train the next generation to be wise, and follow the Biblical principle of working hard, being self motivated, and preparing for the future.

post image by Lance Anderson